EXCLUSIVE Review: For All Who Fail – Rebirth

I have no problem voicing my distaste for a particular piece of music. One of those pieces of music, sadly, was For All Who Fail’s debut single, “Demons”. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t a bad single… but it didn’t quite hit the mark. So how is it that this band can go from something like that to the beautiful material that graces your ears on their debut album, Rebirth? Simple. Three P’s: Practice, persistence and progress. If you didn’t check out my review of their last single, “Boats and Bros” and our exclusive premiere… take a second to check that out before you continue on in this review. That single, alone, shows how much hard work they have put into this release but it doesn’t stop there. Their debut album is one of my favorite on the Afflicted Records roster so far. It’s got all the flair of pop-punk, all the lyrical heart of metalcore and a beautiful instrumental background to top it all off. You want music that gives you chills? You’ve got it. You want a soundtrack to scream your heart out to? They’ve got you covered. Going through something tough that you can’t quite take? They’re right there with you. For All Who Fail encompasses their name… they are there for all who feel like they are failing in life. They make music for the sake of making music and in hopes that someone out there will find some comfort in the words they sing. In a world where music has been shoved into a corporate, money-hungry monster that can’t ever seem to get enough… they break the mold.

From the incredible instrumental intro, “Window Dragon”.. you immediately get a feel of the talent that this band possesses. While you don’t hear vocalist D.J. Bean in this track, guitarist Doug Onstott will blow you away with the solo in this track alone… setting the tone for what’s to come. So.. just what lies ahead? What exactly is it that makes them so impressive? Well, for one… they are unafraid to share their personal stories with you. D.J. sings “They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions. But good and bad to you and me have different definitions. Judgmental verses plague the pages that you hold so close. I’d rather put my faith in love than keep it buried with a ghost” So what does this mean? I believe it means that this world is plagued by hypocrisy, especially in religion. Does this song, “Styrofoam Bones”, take a stab at religion? Well, as with most songs, that’s up to your perception. This album is only 9 tracks long but it hits you just as hard emotionally, musically and lyrically as if it were an hour-long musical journey. Some tracks to really hone in on are “Thanks Paolo”, “The Ballad of Basty Nastard”, “Boats and Bros” and “Grohly, Pohly, Ohly”. Each track, while musically different, deals with something weighing heavy on the writers’ hearts. It’s as beautiful, emotional and atmospheric as it is heavy, gritty and in-your-face. Each song proves further and further that these guys have the talent it takes to make it to the big leagues, even though that’s not their intention. The song that I would like to focus most on, though, is “Once Upon A Time in Delaware”. This is the only acoustic track on the album, beautifully written, delivered wonderfully and truly haunting in nature. “My footsteps echo in the night and it’s the only place I seem to feel alright. I only show the side of me that no one else knows! I’m bent but I’m not broken, though wounds have left me scarred, this is the life I’ve chosen and hate won’t take my heart! Pen and paper in our hands, let’s sing the world a song… we’ll give ’em hell and show them this is where we belong!” Those words should make the meaning of this song self-explanatory. It’s a way of saying that they will prove the doubters wrong, they won’t take no for an answer and they will do all they can to live out their dream of getting their music to the masses. Don’t let your past define you, instead… look to the future and always keep your head high!

From start to finish, no two songs on Rebirth are the same. Each has it’s own theme and sound but one thing is clear… the level of musicianship on each track is never-faltering. Being the first signings to Afflicted Records, it’s not hard to see why Shawn picked these guys up. Be sure to check out their 4 released singles, “Thanks Paolo” “Boats and Bros” and “Grohly, Pohly, Ohly” and, of course, “Once Upon A Time in Delaware” below before being able to pick up the entire album on Tuesday! Don’t miss out on this incredible release from some incredibly talented friends of ours!